1. What stood out to me from this chapter?
This story has always been one of my favorites in the gospels. This sick woman, who has tried everything, spent everything, and basically given up on everything, has one hope left. She needs Jesus. She knows that if she can just touch him she can be healed. This is a bold move on her part because like someone with leprosy, she was "unclean" and was not really allowed to be in close company with others. So for her to push through the crowd to touch Jesus was a total act of faith and even desperation. Finally, I love when Jesus asks, "Who touched me?" As if there weren't hundreds of people touching him as he walked through the crowds. Yet he asks the question implying that not only had someone simply touched him physically, but someone had touched him with great faith for healing. So he doesn't even need to "heal" the woman. He just declares in a loving freeing way what had just happened. "Your faith has healed you. Go in peace..."
2. How does this passage remind me of any other Scripture I know?
In this story of the woman who touches Jesus, the gospel writer clarifies that Jesus realized that POWER had gone out of him. At first I think, well of course Jesus has "powers" because He is God. But I think the power Jesus had came not from his own divine nature, but from the Holy Spirit which was poured out on him in his baptism. It reminds me of what Jesus says in Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit comes on you..." So the power they had to do ministry was simply through the power of God through the Holy Spirit.
3. What does this mean for my life?
I know there are other stories in this chapter, but I'm still gonna focus on the bleeding woman story. I hope I have faith enough to turn to Jesus for healing (of body, mind, soul, and spirit) even way before I have spent everything and tried everything.
4. What questions do I have about this passage?
Why would Jesus let the Legion demons possess and kill the pigs? Obviously, that's a great improvement over the man, but why didn't Jesus just name it and banish it or something? Kind of wierd.
Those are my thoughts for the day. Feel free to join me and leave your comments on any and each question.
In Christ,
Dan
image from http://www.swordofthespirit.net/bulwark/jesus_woman09.gif
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